§ 80. THE CATHARI. 475
to understand how the movement gained such rapid and widespread acceptance in the well-ordered and prosperous territory of Southern France, a territory in which Cluny had exercised its influence and was located.
The Cathari agreed — to use the expression of their oppo nents — in vituperating the established Church and in calling its adherents Romanists. There are two Churches, they held, — one of the wicked and one of the righteous. They themselves constituted the Church of the righteous, outside of which there is no salvation,1 having received the imposition of hands and done penance according to the teaching of Christ and the Apostles. Its fruits proved that the estab lished Church was not the true Church. The true Church endures persecution, does not prescribe it. The Roman Church sits in the place of rule and is clothed in purple and fine linen. The true Church teaches first. The Roman Church baptizes first. The true Church has no dignitaries, prelates, cardinals, archdeacons, or monks. The Roman Church is the woman of the Apocalypse, a harlot, and the pope anti-Christ.
The depositions at their trials indicate that the Cathari made much use of the Scriptures. The treatises of Bonacursus, Ermengaudus, and other writers in refutation of Catharaii teachings abound in quotations of Scripture, a fact indicating the regard the heretics had for them. They put spiritual interpretations upon the miracles and freely allegorized parables. In the parable of the Good Samaritan, the man who fell among the thieves was Adam, whose spirit, at God's command, descended from heaven to earth and fell among thieves in this lower world.2 The priest and the Levite were Melchizedek and Aaron, who went the " same way," that is, could not help him. The Old Testament they discredited, pronouncing it the work of the devil. Its God is an evil god.3
1 Dollinger, II. 322, etc.; Douais, II. 105, etc. ; Bonacursus, Migne, 204. 777.
2 Bonacursus, p. 775.
8 Dollinger, II. 294, etc. ; Ermengaudus, 1237. Lea, I. 563-567, gives a document, apparently dating from about 1300, in which a Catharan uses
476 THE MIDDLE AGES. A.D. 1049-1204.
The Ctitliaran doctrine seems to have highly exalted Christ, though it denied the full reality of his human nature. He was created in heaven and was not born on the earth, but passed through Mary as through a pipe. He neither ate material food nor drank material drink. As for John the Baptist, he was one of the major demons and was damned for doubting when he sent to Christ the question, "Art thou he that should come or do we look for another ? " *
A strange account of the fall of the angels was current in Southern France. Satan ascended to heaven and waited in vain thirty-two years for admittance. He was then noticed and admitted by the porter. Hidden from the Father, he remained among the angels a year before he began to use his art to deceive. He asked them whether they had no other glory or pleasure besides -what he saw. When they replied they had not, he asked whether they would not like to de scend to his world and kingdom, promising to give them gifts, fields, vineyards, springs, meadows, fruits, gold, silver, and women. Then he began to praise woman and the pleas ures of the flesh. When they inquired more particularly about the women, the devil said he would descend and bring one back with him. This he did. The woman was decked in jewels and gold and beautiful of form. The angels were inflamed with passion, and Satan seeing this, took her and left heaven. The angels followed. The exodus continued for nine days and nights, when God closed up the fissure which had been made.2
The Cathari divided themselves into two classes, the Per-
Scripture to prove that the God of the Old Testament is not the God of the New. He deposed, " God says in Genesis, ' Ye shall not eat the tree of life.' But the God of the New Testament says in the Apocalypse ' to him that overcometh I will give to eat of the tree of life.' That one prohibits, this one promises. Therefore they are antagonistic, one to the other." Again he deposed, " Genesis says I will place enmity between thee and the woman. The God of the Old Testament is thus the sower of discord and enmity. But the God of the New Testament is the giver of peace and the reconciler of all things. Hence they are antagonistic."
1 Bonacursus, p. 777 ; Ermengaud, p. 1234 sq. ; Douais, II. 93, 96, 103, etc.
2 Dollinger, II. 149-153.